RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, The winter of 2012/2013 has seen an epidemic in influenza (the flu) cases across the United States; and
WHEREAS, Forty-seven states have reported a widespread breakout of the flu with twenty-four states reporting a "high level" of flu. The State of Illinois is one of those twenty-four states reporting a "high level" of flu; and
WHEREAS, In the State of Illinois alone, the number of flu-related intensive care unit (ICU) hospitalizations so far this year is 368, with twenty-seven flu-related ICU deaths. The majority of hospitalizations and deaths are of people in their 50s and older. The Illinois Department of Public Health expects to see an increase in the number of hospitalizations and deaths as more health care providers report cases from previous weeks as well as current cases; and
WHEREAS, Public health officials note that the flu season imposes a financial cost each year across the Nation. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention projects the total economic burden of each flu season to be S87.1 billion, which includes direct medical costs of $10.4 billion and lost income due to illness or death estimated at $16.3 billion each year. While hospitalization costs are important contributors, lost productivity from missed work days and lost lives comprise the bulk of the economic burden of the flu; and
WHEREAS, The flu is not to be taken lightly, for it kills between 3,000 and 49,000 people in the United States each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; and
WHEREAS, Yonatan Grad, a research fellow at Harvard University's School of Public Health, concluded that the only defense against the flu now is to develop the most effective vaccine and deliver it to as many people as possible; and
WHEREAS, The people of the City of Chicago are understandably concerned about the outbreak of flu this year and expect their local government to assist in any way possible to reduce the outbreak of new flu cases; now, th...
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